A study of rural America.

Pointing out Lebanon, Kansas on the map. It's dead center of the United States.

Allie Van Why flips her hair as she waits to run to second base during a tee ball game in Chugwater, Wyoming. Chugwater's population is just under 300 people.

Thomas Goett's driveway is lined with plastic reinder. "My wife back up and ran him over," he said of the broken one.
Coal-fired smokestacks can be seen from just about anywhere in Cheshire, Ohio. The village, which is along the Ohio River, has a population that is a fraction of what it was just years before. The schools sit empty with locked doors. In 2002, the American Electric Power Company settled with citizens over an investigation in pollution and the consequences it had on the residents. The power plant had a $20 million buyout and most of the more than 200 residents sold their property and left. Still, some residents remain in Cheshire today.

An abandoned house in Braddock, Pennsylvania. The town, which is known for its steel mills, has lost the majority of its population, as well as its hospital, which was recently torn the down. Many abandoned homes line its streets.

Associate Pastor Nathan Winters baptizes Casey Robbins who departs for the Air Force the following day during the service at First Baptist Church in Thermopolis, Wyoming August 21, 2011.2

A baby alligator in Everglades City, Florida, population 402

Leonard Cheser walks outside of a restaurant in Chugwater, Wyoming in August 2011. "I hit Chug in 1965 and that's been a day or so ago," the 85-year-old retired rancher who said he grew up in boots said. Chugwater's population is just under 300 people.

Allie Van Why, Chugwater, Wyoming

A swine competition at the Lincoln County State Fair in Troy, Missouri

A golden retriever's fur in rural Wyoming

A field in Wright, Wyoming August 2011. Wright's population teeters around 1,500. The town was settled in the 1970s with the start of the Black Thunder Coal Mine, one of the most productive in the United States.

Residents from Cheshire, and the surrounding area, attend the Sunday morning service at Cheshire Baptist Church.

The Hot Springs Demolition Derby at the Hot Springs County Fairgrounds in Thermopolis, Wyoming

Inside the Safari Club outside of Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming

Tate Johnson, 10, rides his scooter with friends at the Williston Skatepark in Williston, North Dakota. Williston is currently experiencing an influx of people relocating there for the town's third oil boom.

A dog awaits its owner who is inside of the TePee Spa at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming.

Whitehall, Montana, population just over 1,000

A field in a light dusting of snow in Intercourse, Pennsylvania.

A dead wolf in rural Roosevelt County, Montana

A girl jumps off the diving board at the Hot Mineral Pools waterpark inside of Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming. The park claims to be the world's largest mineral hot springs and is open year round.

Inside of the Hotel Puhala bar in Braddock, Pennsylvania. The hotel has since closed, though the bar is one of the few still open in town. The town, which is known for its steel mills, has lost the majority of its population, as well as its hospital, which was recently torn the down. Many abandoned homes line its streets.

A crowd of eager people await Punxsutawney Phil at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania before dawn February 2. The groundhog is said to speak "groundhogese" to one member of the "inner circle" (men in top hats) to predict an early spring or a long winter each year.

Coal-fired smokestacks can be seen from just about anywhere in Cheshire, Ohio. The village, which is along the Ohio River, has a population that is a fraction of what it was just years before. The schools sit empty with locked doors. In 2002, the American Electric Power Company settled with citizens over an investigation in pollution and the consequences it had on the residents. The power plant had a $20 million buyout and most of the more than 200 residents sold their property and left. Still, some 130 residents remain in Cheshire today.

Church in Toomsboro, Georgia, population 459

Wrestling practice for the middle and high schoolers at Cardinal High School in Middlefield, Ohio. Population 2,710.

Karen Snyder, 47, enjoys a cigarette during a break from the nearby mental health facility she works at in downtown Braddock, Pennsylvania. Karen moved back to Braddock from California a few years ago. Her mother grew up in Braddock and her great grandfather worked at the steel mill. "I like Braddock," she said. "I wis it could come back to life. They just knocked four buildings down."

Cuba, Missouri, a city known for its murals that is along Route 66. population 3,369

A study of rural America.

Pointing out Lebanon, Kansas on the map. It's dead center of the United States.

Allie Van Why flips her hair as she waits to run to second base during a tee ball game in Chugwater, Wyoming. Chugwater's population is just under 300 people.

Thomas Goett's driveway is lined with plastic reinder. "My wife back up and ran him over," he said of the broken one.
Coal-fired smokestacks can be seen from just about anywhere in Cheshire, Ohio. The village, which is along the Ohio River, has a population that is a fraction of what it was just years before. The schools sit empty with locked doors. In 2002, the American Electric Power Company settled with citizens over an investigation in pollution and the consequences it had on the residents. The power plant had a $20 million buyout and most of the more than 200 residents sold their property and left. Still, some residents remain in Cheshire today.

An abandoned house in Braddock, Pennsylvania. The town, which is known for its steel mills, has lost the majority of its population, as well as its hospital, which was recently torn the down. Many abandoned homes line its streets.

Associate Pastor Nathan Winters baptizes Casey Robbins who departs for the Air Force the following day during the service at First Baptist Church in Thermopolis, Wyoming August 21, 2011.2

A baby alligator in Everglades City, Florida, population 402

Leonard Cheser walks outside of a restaurant in Chugwater, Wyoming in August 2011. "I hit Chug in 1965 and that's been a day or so ago," the 85-year-old retired rancher who said he grew up in boots said. Chugwater's population is just under 300 people.

Allie Van Why, Chugwater, Wyoming

A swine competition at the Lincoln County State Fair in Troy, Missouri

A golden retriever's fur in rural Wyoming

A field in Wright, Wyoming August 2011. Wright's population teeters around 1,500. The town was settled in the 1970s with the start of the Black Thunder Coal Mine, one of the most productive in the United States.

Residents from Cheshire, and the surrounding area, attend the Sunday morning service at Cheshire Baptist Church.

The Hot Springs Demolition Derby at the Hot Springs County Fairgrounds in Thermopolis, Wyoming

Inside the Safari Club outside of Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming

Tate Johnson, 10, rides his scooter with friends at the Williston Skatepark in Williston, North Dakota. Williston is currently experiencing an influx of people relocating there for the town's third oil boom.

A dog awaits its owner who is inside of the TePee Spa at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming.

Whitehall, Montana, population just over 1,000

A field in a light dusting of snow in Intercourse, Pennsylvania.

A dead wolf in rural Roosevelt County, Montana

A girl jumps off the diving board at the Hot Mineral Pools waterpark inside of Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming. The park claims to be the world's largest mineral hot springs and is open year round.

Inside of the Hotel Puhala bar in Braddock, Pennsylvania. The hotel has since closed, though the bar is one of the few still open in town. The town, which is known for its steel mills, has lost the majority of its population, as well as its hospital, which was recently torn the down. Many abandoned homes line its streets.

A crowd of eager people await Punxsutawney Phil at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania before dawn February 2. The groundhog is said to speak "groundhogese" to one member of the "inner circle" (men in top hats) to predict an early spring or a long winter each year.

Coal-fired smokestacks can be seen from just about anywhere in Cheshire, Ohio. The village, which is along the Ohio River, has a population that is a fraction of what it was just years before. The schools sit empty with locked doors. In 2002, the American Electric Power Company settled with citizens over an investigation in pollution and the consequences it had on the residents. The power plant had a $20 million buyout and most of the more than 200 residents sold their property and left. Still, some 130 residents remain in Cheshire today.

Church in Toomsboro, Georgia, population 459

Wrestling practice for the middle and high schoolers at Cardinal High School in Middlefield, Ohio. Population 2,710.

Karen Snyder, 47, enjoys a cigarette during a break from the nearby mental health facility she works at in downtown Braddock, Pennsylvania. Karen moved back to Braddock from California a few years ago. Her mother grew up in Braddock and her great grandfather worked at the steel mill. "I like Braddock," she said. "I wis it could come back to life. They just knocked four buildings down."

Cuba, Missouri, a city known for its murals that is along Route 66. population 3,369